http://www.wpcwestlake.org/ en-us Westminster Presbyterian Church, Westlake Village, CA 91361 Westminster Presbyterian Church ℗ & © 2007-2008, WPC Westminster Presbyterian Church, Westlake Village, CA aubreyapple@mac.com no Young Samuel I Samuel 3:1-10 Mr. Luke Phillips http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100725.mp3 21:15 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:59:08 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100725.mp3 Hannah - How Difficult Families Become Devoted Families I Samuel 1:1-20 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100718.mp3 29:38 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:00:08 GMT Call me slow, but only somewhat recently did I come to the conclusion that "families are difficult". This, I am now sure, is a universal truth. Certainly the Bible tells me this is so. For example, look at Elkanah's family in I Samuel 1. Poor man. Poor miserable wives. But tucked into every turn in their struggle are all these references to prayer and worship. I count sixteen of them. It turns out this family represents a pivotal moment in history. When prayer and worship are a daily (and weekly) reality in a family's life I suspect other pivotal moments occur. Notice the honesty. Notice the persistence. Notice how no one in the family can fulfill anyone else's expectations. Because only God can do that. Let's learn Hannah's Song, with our hearts. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100718.mp3 Ruth - Hope and Trust in God Ruth 1:1-18 Dr. Moses Pulei http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100711.mp3 23:11 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:41:19 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100711.mp3 Samson -- Finding Strength Again Judges 16:1-22 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100704.mp3 25:46 Sun, 4 Jul 2010 20:28:17 GMT What if I were to ask you, "What makes you strong?" What first comes to mind? There are lots of possibilities. You could take my question literally and say, "Well I've got a couple of nice biceps here..." Or maybe you'd answer with your good upbringing, or your well-rounded education. Of course many would say, "God makes me strong." I'm finding it fascinating to think about Samson and Delilah (Judges 16:4-22) as we head toward Sunday, July 4th. For us at WPC it's also a Communion Sunday. If you could ask Samson what made him strong I wonder how he would answer. He is a profile in learning. His lesson is what happens when we become overconfident in our strengths. The lesson applies to you and me as persons. I think it applies to a whole nation too. Christian philosopher Charles Taylor says, "High values require strong sources." That's where communion comes in. One more thought: Jesus once said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." If he's right, what really makes us strong? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100704.mp3 Gideon - Why Me? Judges 6:11-40 Rev. John Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100627.mp3 22:31 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:13:12 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100627.mp3 A Clash of Wills Judges 4 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100620.mp3 26:09 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:13:30 GMT "The trouble with you Christians is that your Bible is full of violence." Ever hear that one? In a way they're right. The Bible fully acknowledges a violent world that at times needs to be "stopped". But that's not the whole story. Read Judges 4 with me this week and get ready for some PG-13 details on how a tent peg became a deadly implement in the hands of a woman who knew how to swing a hammer. It turns out we believe in a God who has fully entered into a very violent world (think about your kid's video games, think about the NBA playoffs, not to mention wars and crime) in order to show us all, the whole world, a better way. "Judge" Deborah can help us all. In the mean time, if at all possible, be at peace with all people (Romans 12:18). http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100620.mp3 What Are We Doing Here? Revelation 4 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100613.mp3 22:34 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:56:05 GMT Some time ago a young mother shared with me after worship the reason she comes to church is because an hour later she has already forgotten that God loves her. I suspect she is hardly alone. Perhaps we are all spiritual amnesiacs. The problem is when we forget God's grace, power and truth, other things begin to take God's place. I'm trying to see the vision of worship given us in Revelation 4. This is better than any film maker can offer because actually you can't just "see" this vision. You have to take it in through every sense. Worship is supposed to be powerfully evocative for a simple reason. It's supposed to remind us that worship is all about offering ourselves up to the One who sits on the Throne. And that offering only begins when we are gathered on Sundays. This Sunday we give thanks for our music ministries. Revelation 4 gives us where these ministries come from and what they are for. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we join in with the heavenly chorus. Who knows? Maybe you'll come away with a song in your heart that lasts longer than an hour. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100613.mp3 Going Through the Motions Matthew 5:13-16 Mr. Stephen Stewart http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-1.mp3 6:32 Sun, 6 Jun 2010 22:35:29 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-1.mp3 God's Plan Romans 8:28 Mr. Ben Wolhaupter http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-2.mp3 13:10 Sun, 6 Jun 2010 22:31:39 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-2.mp3 Integrity Proverbs 4:20-27 Ms. Kristen Kruger http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-3.mp3 12:53 Sun, 6 Jun 2010 22:32:52 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-3.mp3 More Than Just a Number Ephesians 2:8-10 Ms. Michelle Harvey http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-4.mp3 9:40 Sun, 6 Jun 2010 22:34:12 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100606-4.mp3 The Power of Prayer Romans 8:11-17,26-27 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100530.mp3 25:51 Sun, 30 May 2010 19:27:43 GMT Ever watch a child stumble and bang her knee on something hard? First there is a look of "I can't believe this just happened." But then, as soon as she sees her mom or dad's face, what does she do? She bursts into tears. Why? Because she knows she will be comforted. She knows she can let it all out. She can empty her fear and pain out on her loving parents who will hold her as the pain slowly subsides. Read with me Romans 8:12-17 and then Romans 8:26-27","26-27. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray "Abba! Father!" Actually Paul doesn't say "pray", he says, "cry out". That cry can be of fear and pain. It can be of profound joy. It is real, honest prayer directed to the God who loves us beyond words. Our joy deepens over time as the Spirit helps us to pray. But so does our sense of things undone, and of suffering. That's just how love is. More and more we feel what God feels. In prayer we are invited to participate in God's redemptive work. So it is a profound thing to pray for our world and our nation this Memorial Day. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100530.mp3 Boldness John 20:19-22; Acts 2:1-4 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100523.mp3 27:13 Sun, 23 May 2010 19:51:54 GMT Ever watch a child stumble and bang her knee on something hard? First there is a look of "I can't believe this just happened." But then, as soon as she sees her mom or dad's face, what does she do? She bursts into tears. Why? Because she knows she will be comforted. She knows she can let it all out. She can empty her fear and pain out on her loving parents who will hold her as the pain slowly subsides. Read with me Romans 8:12-17 and then Romans 8:26-27","26-27. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray "Abba! Father!" Actually Paul doesn't say "pray", he says, "cry out". That cry can be of fear and pain. It can be of profound joy. It is real, honest prayer directed to the God who loves us beyond words. Our joy deepens over time as the Spirit helps us to pray. But so does our sense of things undone, and of suffering. That's just how love is. More and more we feel what God feels. In prayer we are invited to participate in God's redemptive work. So it is a profound thing to pray for our world and our nation this Memorial Day. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100523.mp3 What Are We Waiting For? Joel 2:28-29; Luke 24:45-49 Nathan Reeder http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100516.mp3 19:31 Sun, 16 May 2010 19:20:38 GMT After His suffering He presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). The disciples. They had the knowledge. They had the experience. They had the desire. But Jesus said, "Wait. You're not ready. Not yet." What were they waiting for? We have one more Sunday before we celebrate Pentecost on May 23, which commemorates when the Holy Spirit inspired some ordinary people like you and me to wreck this planet with the message of Jesus. So, what are we waiting for? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100516.mp3 You are Gifted... and Called I Corinthians 12:1-11 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100509.mp3 23:00 Sun, 9 May 2010 20:28:05 GMT If you're going to start a movement, you have to get your people ready. You have to "equip" them. Like an army before battle. Like the launch of a whole new business idea. We "train". We teach skills. What about the Holy Spirit? What does the Spirit do? The Spirit of the Risen Christ "gifts" us. Read I Corinthians 12:1-11. What this is saying is that if you have opened your heart to Christ, you are gifted with abilities that only make sense in terms of the movement Jesus' rising began. Embezzle these gifts for any other purpose and they cease being gifts. But how do we figure out (the fancy word is "discern") what gifts the Spirit of Christ has given us? There are ways. One hint. You can't do this by yourself. Another hint. You also can't do this without the teaching of God's word. Okay, another hint. You can't steer the wheels on a parked car. Join me this Sunday to find out more. This is very important because the movement requires your using His gifts. Why not begin today by praying, "OK, Lord, I believe you've gifted me. Now help me figure out just what those gifts are so I can put them to work." http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100509.mp3 The Fruit of the Spirit (On Character) Galatians 5:16-6:2 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100502.mp3 18:55 Sun, 2 May 2010 20:36:47 GMT Backpack food has gotten sophisticated. Everything is freeze dried, a blend of chemicals you can't pronounce, power bars loaded with energy carbs, and all sorts of jerky. But there's nothing like the fresh taste of an apple when you're way up the trail. What a contrast! No one has yet engineered anything like an apple. They never will either. I'm thinking about the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). The apostle chose his word carefully - "fruit" as opposed to "rules". He was trying to help us understand what the Holy Spirit grows in us while we walk with the Risen Christ. Apples grow naturally. The fruit of the Spirit grows in us supernaturally. What's our part in this? To borrow from an old children's sermon: If you want good fruit, take care of the root. What's growing on the end of your limbs? If you don't like what you see there, by the power of the Holy Spirit it CAN change. A final thought: fruit is for others to use. No good just leaving it all hanging there... http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100502.mp3 That's the Spirit! Ezekiel 37:1-10; John 14:15-17 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100425.mp3 26:02 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:47:12 GMT We like to say, "That's the spirit!", or "She's really spiritual", or "I'm spiritual, but not religious." The obvious question is what do we mean by "spirit"? Maybe we don't want to define what we mean. Because then we'd have to get specific. And then we'd have to get into what's "unspiritual", and that leads to feeling judgmental. Keep it light, open and vague and everybody's happy. Right? Read John 14:15-18 with me. Jesus defines this word "spirit". He embodies it. He describes the spirit as the "Spirit of Truth". Trouble is the world cannot accept this. To be completely honest, much of the time neither can we. But Jesus has prayed for you and me to be given the Holy Spirit. Biblically speaking, "truth" is what is real. Want to be spiritual? Prepare to weep, and laugh, and grieve, and to be surprised by a passionate urge to act, and to feel your heart broken open and poured out, and to feel like a kid with millions of questions, and to fall deeply in love with Jesus. Prepare for boldness. He is right there with you in this moment as you read this, and in every moment. Learn all you can. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100425.mp3 In This Together Malachi 3:6-12; Acts 2:37-42 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100418.mp3 24:23 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:08:38 GMT If you consider WPC your spiritual home I'm asking that you come to church this Sunday. If you cannot come I ask that you go to our website and click on and listen to the message for April 18. If you do not consider WPC your church home, of course you are more than welcome any Sunday. We love it when you come! It will be interesting for you to be there. In preparation please read Acts 2:37-47. This week I am in Haiti with our team visiting our projects. Pray for our friends, for good conversation, for wise planning, and bold trusting the Boss there, and here. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100418.mp3 Radical Hospitality Luke 24:13-35 Rev. John Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100411.mp3 19:52 Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:58:19 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100411.mp3 How God Loves Us Luke 24:36-49 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100404.mp3 16:57 Sun, 4 Apr 2010 19:59:56 GMT Welcome to Holy Week. It gives new meaning to "Monday Warm Up", doesn't it? Warming up to this Week. Because if you are a Christian you have work to do. You and I, by returning to the events of the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry also face why he had to do it. We have to face our own real situation and condition. This we spend most of our time trying to avoid. "Holy" week exposes our unholiness. But be of good courage brothers and sisters. This is good soul work. It will make you and me stronger. It will make us more able to face the real world. It will clean out our souls to make room for immense, ineffable, joy. Use the worship opportunities, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and of course, Easter. Get alone and let the Boss talk to you about you, and Him, and life. This is how God loves you. Prepare for your heart to burst open. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100404.mp3 How to Know What to Live For Luke 19:28-40; 9:18-27 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100328.mp3 23:54 Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:50:09 GMT We can be devastated by disappointment. What we had envisioned doesn't happen. We feel dis-illusioned. We are left with, "What now?" Welcome to Palm Sunday and all that follows. The palm fronds represented huge expectations for how Jesus would fix the world (Luke 19:28-40). The cross has no place in this "vision". The events of Holy Week are really about re-engaging our own illusions for how this is all supposed to go. Jesus loves his followers too much to just leave them feeling "blind sided". Read Luke 9:18-27 with me this week. This is hard. But it is real. No illusions here. What Jesus has in mind for you and me is what he calls the "kingdom of God." No less. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100328.mp3 The Power of Loving Touch Exodus 19:9b-15; Luke 8:40-56 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100321.mp3 28:14 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:50:32 GMT We have an expression that says, "I found that really touching..." What we mean of course is that something got past our defenses, the boundaries of our "personal space", to reach us in our most essential humanity. Touch can mean all sorts of things from acts of hatred or seduction to caring, greeting and departing. Touch can also mean absolutely nothing at all, like "bumping". Read Luke 8:40-56 with me and watch how Jesus' touch affects the people around him. I'm working on the "theology of touch" this week. So far I'm getting that touch, the way Jesus does it, is intentional, care-ful, purposeful presence that connects a person to God's healing, helping power. If you get a minute this week, share a story or two with me of how you have experienced "touching ministry", whether on the receiving or giving end. How is the Risen Lord touching you? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100321.mp3 Unnerving Love Psalm 23; Luke 8:26-30 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100314.mp3 26:26 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:39:58 GMT Some of us know people who are really perceptive. Often they are our friends. They seem to know how and when to ask a good question that takes us into uncharted territory in our souls. We'd like to answer their question, but at the same time maybe we'd rather not. Because we feel unnerved. Maybe exposed. I suspect Jesus was very much like this. Read Luke 8:26-39 and see how many people become unnerved by his love. A whole country! The key is how to handle feeling unnerved by the love of God. This takes courage. It takes trusting God. What we don't want to do is what those Gerasenes did - they were so unnerved by Jesus they asked him to leave! The most unnerving thing about this whole scene is that Jesus did exactly that! Don't ever ask Jesus to leave. The most heartening thing is how Jesus loves a lost man back into his right mind. Then he gives him a new identity and a new purpose. What a friend we have in Jesus. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100314.mp3 Where is Your Faith Luke 8:22-25 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100307.mp3 20:36 Mon, 8 Mar 2010 02:19:39 GMT One day Jesus invited his twelve followers to get into a sailboat with him to voyage about eight miles across the Sea of Galilee. This might sound fun to us. But to the typical Hebrew, large bodies of water spelled nothing but evil and trouble. Sure enough, a storm blew up and put the fear of death in those twelve land lubbers. Jesus, awakened by their rousing, calmed the situation, and then asked the question I think goes to all of us. "Where is your faith?" In other words, when difficult times happen, when crisis comes, when everything seems out of our control, where do you and I put our faith? Everyone "has" faith. It's where we put our faith that is so important. Why does Jesus expect us to have faith in him? He knows more about what's coming than we do. He also knows what God can do only when we find our faith and place it in Him. A thought: "faith" always manifests in action. Faith always leaves a vapor trail. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100307a.mp3 Heaven Come Down Luke 7:11-17; Revelation 21:1-4 Rev. Jennifer Kates Witten http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100228.mp3 23:56 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:56:35 GMT Jesus said, "The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." Check it out in Luke 7:36-50. Here's a woman with a broken (open) heart raining tears on Jesus' feet, wiping them dry with her hair, then drenching them in costly perfumed oil. Then there's this religious leader named Simon who finds the whole scene scandalous. No question the woman knows in much greater, deeper ways how God loves her and Jesus offers her release and invitation to a new life. But I take heart that most of this story is about Jesus loving Simon, the "I'm a pretty good guy" type person who really doesn't believe there's all that much to be forgiven. Jesus wants more for Simon than a little forgiveness, because then he would experience only a little love. When were you forgiven much? At the end of the day we all have the same answer to that question, don't we? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100228.mp3 Heaven Come Down Luke 7:11-17; Revelation 21:1-4 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100221.mp3 24:53 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:13:43 GMT Did you know that the Bible ends not with the people of God taken up into heaven, but with heaven coming down to earth? In fact, this is how the early Christians understood Jesus. They believed Jesus literally brought heaven down to earth through the healings, miracles and of course the resurrection. The reason for all this is revealed in one simple phrase found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus raises a dead man back to life but before doing so Luke writes, "the Lord had compassion on her." The mother, that is. Jesus was so deeply and profoundly moved by this woman's pain that he raised her son back to life. Bringing her great joy. Bringing heaven to earth. Makes me wonder, do we have a sense of this? Of Jesus deeply and profoundly moved by us and whatever we're dealing with? Because if he is, then we shouldn't expect to experience heaven's gifts just after we die, but in this life. Glimmers of heaven are coming down to earth in each reason for Joy Peace Hope Love Read this story from Luke+7:11-17 and imagine the heart of Jesus moved by whatever is going on in your life right now. Be assured of His love. Be confident in His response. Because heaven is definitely coming down to earth. And the good news is, you and I are a part of it. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100221.mp3 What God's Love Can Do Luke 6:27-36 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100214.mp3 25:45 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:12:21 GMT "Won't you be my Valentine?" That question, impressed on candy, on cards, in flower arrangements, maybe even in skywriting, will be posed by at least a billion people. Of course there are close to 7 billion people on the planet today. Hmmm. What about them? What about the people we don't like? What about the people we hate? Who hate us? How very un-Valentine's Day to ask! But read the deep history of this day and you're in for some surprises. There are possibly three Christians with the name "Valentine". All three died for their faith. The deepest root runs all the way back to Jesus' words. For example check out Luke 6:27-36. How do we love our enemies? Really this is the big question in light of the deep meaning of Valentine's Day. Although there are certainly no guarantees, if we do what Jesus tells us (who knows?) maybe next year we'll be sending even more Valentines cards. Think of an enemy you will love. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100214.mp3 Re-Thinking God Luke 6:1-11 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100207.mp3 20:25 Sun, 7 Feb 2010 22:27:03 GMT Years ago I worked as a furniture mover. Once in a while we would have to move somebody's safe. I remember one in particular - double walled steel filled with concrete sitting in the middle of the floor about four feet high and wide; this thing must have weighed over 500 pounds. Of course that's the idea. A safe is supposed to be unmovable. That's what makes a safe, "safe". The only way to even begin to get a grip on this safe was to use a Johnson Bar, a huge lever on tiny steel wheels, in order to pry up one corner even a little to slip a hydraulic lift underneath. Picture two grown men hanging on the end of a lever ten feet long just to get the corner of the safe to come up a quarter of an inch. Mindsets are like safes. The Lord knows how hard they are to pry open, even a little. I'm reading Luke 6:1-11 to see how God loves us. Here's what I'm getting. God loves us by prying open our double-walled, concrete-filled assumptions about what matters to get us to do new thinking about God and ourselves, and what makes for a good life. And that God is very persistent. I love it that Jesus loves the Pharisees this way. He doesn't give up on them. And he doesn't give up on you or me either. How are you being pried open? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100207.mp3 Healing and Wholeness Luke 4:31-41 Rev. Gary Demarest http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100131.mp3 23:53 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:12:25 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100131.mp3 What We Are Up Against Exodus 14:5-14; Luke 4:14-30 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100124.mp3 22:58 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:03:55 GMT Sometimes the most loving thing someone can do is make sure we know what we're up against. It's to protect us against our own naivete. Because optimism has its downsides. I'm pondering Jesus' first move in his public ministry. Led by the Spirit of God out into the wilderness, Jesus faces the Opposition (check it out in Luke 4:1-13). This is all about God loving you and me by exposing what's at work out there, and frankly, our own vulnerability. It's almost as if we get a mirror held up in front of us and it's hard to see what's there. There's substituting "good" for God. There's the draw to power. And there's the temptation to use religion to "make" God do what we want. One more very important thing gets "exposed" out there in the wilderness - it's who Jesus is. We find out what He is made of. Now read Hebrews 4:14-16. Let this promise guide your struggle and your prayer. Thank God we are not alone in whatever it is we face this week. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100124.mp3 What We Are Up Against Deuteronomy 6:4-19; Luke 4:1-13 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100117.mp3 27:50 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:17:01 GMT Sometimes the most loving thing someone can do is make sure we know what we're up against. It's to protect us against our own naivete. Because optimism has its downsides. I'm pondering Jesus' first move in his public ministry. Led by the Spirit of God out into the wilderness, Jesus faces the Opposition (check it out in Luke 4:1-13). This is all about God loving you and me by exposing what's at work out there, and frankly, our own vulnerability. It's almost as if we get a mirror held up in front of us and it's hard to see what's there. There's substituting "good" for God. There's the draw to power. And there's the temptation to use religion to "make" God do what we want. One more very important thing gets "exposed" out there in the wilderness - it's who Jesus is. We find out what He is made of. Now read Hebrews 4:14-16. Let this promise guide your struggle and your prayer. Thank God we are not alone in whatever it is we face this week. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100117.mp3 Looking for a Break-Through Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 3:1-17 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100110.mp3 23:43 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:39:24 GMT This Saturday morning some of us are driving up to Santa Paula to celebrate the dedication of the brand new duplex built by many, many loving hands with Habitat for Humanity. The back story is that the house that was on this site before was a crack house where lives were destroyed. That house was razed to the ground to clear the way for new foundations and two new homes. I'm thinking about Luke 3:1-18 this week and how God loves us. This is about John the Baptist's call to start over. It's called "repentance". It means turning around. Changed attitude. New thinking. And if it's real it prepares the way, if you will, clears the ground, for a new life built on trust in God who is building something amazing. He quotes Isaiah 40:3-5. I love what that prophet says, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." I suspect that some might be getting a glimpse now in that neighborhood we'll be visiting on Saturday. Want to come? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100110.mp3 WPC's Mission Mattheew 28:17-20 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100103.mp3 13:53 Sun, 3 Jan 2010 21:27:18 GMT Every Sunday we say that we are called, by and with God's grace, to help each one become a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. If you like things short and sweet, we could summarize this mission in one word. I'd call it discipleship. Check out Matthew 28:16-20. I'm learning a lot about what this word means. It begins with a desire, even a desire to desire, to be a follower of Jesus. Then we begin to think about next steps. The point is this year, like the past years, will be filled with next step opportunities for you and me to follow him. This year as in past years you and I will continue to be shaped by His influential presence with us. Maybe this is where "resolutions" really make any sense at all. What next steps do you believe it will be important for you to take in your discipleship to Jesus Christ? How can WPC help you? After all, this is our mission. Because you have a mission. To follow Him. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20100103.mp3 Time to Reflect Ecclesiastes 3:1-15; Luke 2:25-40 Rev. John Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091227.mp3 29:58 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:13:29 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091227.mp3 On Earth as it is in Heaven Isaiah 22:20-24; Revelation 3:7,15-20 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091224.mp3 17:15 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:14:07 GMT "O Come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind; bid envy, strife and quarrels cease; fill all the world with heaven's peace..." "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors..." (Luke 2:13,14) If there is one desire universally sought after it is peace. But what makes for peace escapes us. Our own efforts at peacemaking seem to be missing something. What is it? What have we misunderstood? What have we failed to take into account? Only God knows. Which is why God has come in this very human, humble, and unremarkable way. God is teaching us with the Incarnation. This is how you do "peace". This way breaks down envy and competition. It opens people up because they can recognize themselves this way, and then each other. We find our common ground at the manger. And then at the foot of the cross. Christians are never to forget what Jesus said about praying for heaven to come to earth. In so very many different ways and forms it is what the world deeply hopes might be true. In the birth of Jesus it has begun to come to pass. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091224a.mp3 Unlocking Doors Isaiah 22:20-24; Revelation 3:7,15-20 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091220.mp3 18:26 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:54:48 GMT Some months ago I shared about a combination lock I have for which I'd somehow managed to lose the combination. How useless. But then a friend at church took that lock to his locksmith. He couldn't break the code, but he did have a master key that he gave me so that now I can open and shut that lock as I see fit. The fourth verse of the ancient Advent hymn sings, "O Come, thou key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery..." The verse sends us back to an obscure allusion in Isaiah 22:22 that propels us into Revelation 3:7. The one with the key has the authority and practical ability to unlock things- like what we can't unlock by ourselves, even the things we would rather keep hidden under "lock and key". A question surfaced for me as I thought about the Lord unlocking the door to a rich, full life that goes on forever. Take a look at Revelation 3:20. What if there is a lock on the inside? Sometimes our need for "security" becomes its own kind of prison. The Lord wants you free. It's why he came in the first place. The key is in the shape of a cross. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091220.mp3 The Dawn Isaiah 60:1-3; Luke 1:68-79 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091213.mp3 23:55 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:47:55 GMT The nights are the longest this time of year. And nights can get lonely. Loneliness is a huge issue for all of us. Maybe that's a big reason why we put up so many lights all over the place this time of year. We don't like the darkness. The second verse of that ancient Advent hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, says, "O Come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here, and drive away the shades of night, and pierce the clouds and bring us light." I'm looking at Isaiah 60:1-3 and Zechariah's prophecy at the birth of his son John (the Baptist) in Luke 1:78-79. They talk about light as "dawn". I love that. Because we're not just talking about light, but also warmth. And the dawn always happens in the east, so we get our sense of direction (literally, we get "oriented"). The dawn touches us. It guides us. It dispels the dark. This is God's answer to the problem of loneliness. That we are each of us intensely, warmly, loved of God. And if, as some say, loneliness is contagious, guess what? So is the love of God. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091213.mp3 Stumped Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:7-13 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091206.mp3 21:16 Sun, 6 Dec 2009 20:59:33 GMT There is a tree next to my house that just won't say "die". I cut it down and drilled holes in the stump to pour in some nasty stuff to make sure it wouldn't grow back. I even covered it with black plastic to cut off life-giving sunlight. But to my amazement, several months later I noticed a tiny shoot sprouting up off one side of that stump. The second verse of that ancient Advent carol, O Come O Come Emmanuel, calls out to the "Rod of Jesse", a reference to David, the ideal king. "Rod" means "stem" or "shoot". Read Isaiah 11:1-10 and then Romans 15:7-13 for what will come from an apparent dead end. Ever been "stumped"? Meaning out of ideas, energy, options, with seeming no where to turn? A nation can be "stumped" as was Israel by huge powers beyond its borders and corroding corruption inside. A stump is a "dead end", literally an ending in death. The second verse sings, "Free thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save and give victory o'er the grave..." Perhaps it is that we are to get good at noticing the small tender shoots where others are just stumped. Perhaps it is, by the power and joy of the Holy Spirit of the risen Christ, that we are those tender shoots. You think? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091206.mp3 I'll Be There Tomorrow Luke 4:16-21; Isaiah 3:18-4:1 Rev. John Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091129.mp3 28:53 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:54:05 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091129.mp3 Why Are Christians So Narrow Minded: Part 2: On Judgment Luke 16:19-31 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091122.mp3 27:03 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:45:59 GMT Perhaps one of the most common complaints leveled at Christians is that they (we) are "judgmental". Are they (we)? If by "judgmental" is meant arrogance and holier-than-thou superiority, then the answer is supposed to be "No". But things are not as they are supposed to be, are they? If by "judgmental" one means the exercise of discernment, the pursuit of a vision of a better world in the midst of a messy world, and hope that one Day this will be all set right by a just and loving God, then the answer is "Yes". Christians believe God is Judge. They (we) believe we all have a lot to learn. A scary thought: what if there is no God, or God does not care about what happens here? Then it would all be up to us, wouldn't it? Who would get to be the judge then? How would this get decided? Is there someone, or some group, you have already decided is going to hell? Be careful. You and I are not the judge. Thank God! I'm looking at Luke 16:19-31 for the because this parable of judgment humbles us all. It is a reminder of what God cares about. It's a good thing God judges what is happening. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091122.mp3 Outrageous Generosity Phillippians 2:4-13; II Corinthians 8:1-15 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091115.mp3 24:10 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:23:30 GMT Ben and I had been invited to spend the night at Cheriston's home in the hills above Cherident about a three hour drive out of Port au Prince. We slept in a vacated bedroom on their finest rag stuffed mattresses. In the morning we enjoyed pineapple upside down cake and good coffee. Over breakfast we asked what time they had gotten up to prepare all this. Answer, "2:00 a.m." "Why?" we asked. Cheriston explained the hike down to the water source with the five gallon buckets to fetch the water. That process took three hours. A full five gallon bucket of water weighs 40 pounds. Ben and I will never forget that moment. It's the experience of being on the receiving end of outrageous generosity. Read II Corinthians 8:9, and then read II Corinthians 8:1-15","vv. 1-15 for the context. We are all on the receiving end of outrageous generosity, aren't we? The Lord Christ has started all this. And so we follow. Bring your prayed over pledge commitments to church this Sunday as we thank God for... everything (!) and open our souls to what He will do in and through us in this coming year. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091115.mp3a Doesn't Science Disprove Christianity? Genesis 1:1-10; Matthew 6:25-33 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091108.mp3 25:43 Sun, 8 Nov 2009 22:20:09 GMT Doesn't science disprove Christianity? Ask any scientist this who rigorously follows the disciplines of scientific investigation and I predict they'll say, "No". The reason may not be because they are Christians themselves, though many are. The reason is that they understand the parameters within which science operates. You cannot know about what you cannot test. I'm pairing two passages for us to consider; Genesis 1 and Matthew 6:25-33. One describes the creation, the other offers an example of deriving meaning from the creation. The point I'm pursuing is that science gives us some of the "truth", but there is more than science is equipped to handle. I loved the conclusion to a locker room conversation a few months ago. The guy was a retired engineer, and after a robust discussion of the existence of God he said on his way out, "Maybe there will come a time when physics and metaphysics come together." What do you think? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091108.mp3 Why Are Christians so Narrow Minded? Part I: On the "Truth" II John; John 8:32-26 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091101.mp3 20:33 Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:35:49 GMT "The problem with Christians is that they are just so narrow-minded." Ever hear that one? How about this, "Each one should decide for him or herself what his or her truth is." But Jesus said, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free." (John 8:32) Is Jesus "narrow minded"? What did he mean by "truth"? What did he mean by "free"? Isn't it interesting that this coming Sunday Christians will gather and worship around the world in over 2,000 languages; that there are more Christians in Africa, Asia and Latin America than there are in the United States; that the Christian movement cannot be defined by race, culture, politics, income, tribe or geography? How can such narrow mindedness be so... inclusive? Think with me about this: clarity about what we profoundly trust about Jesus releases us to reach out with his love, and truth. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091101.mp3 Can We Really Belive What the Bible Says? Luke 1:1-4; John 20:30-31 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091025.mp3 28:02 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:52:15 GMT Here's the scene. You're having a cup of coffee with a friend and the subject somehow comes up about you being a Christian. The conversation turns to why you believe what you believe, and inevitably, the subject of the Bible comes up. Then you're asked, "What about all those other Gospels that never made it into the Bible?" and, "Don't you think the Bible is really just the legends told by the winners? Now that we know more about the losers we need to revise the Bible's story, don't you think?" I mean, we don't have the original manuscripts. And look at all the contradictions. Who really decided what went into the New Testament? You swallow hard on your coffee, your mind racing with your own unsettled question, "Yeah, why do I believe this?" Read carefully with me two passages. One is John 20:30-31. The other is Luke 1:1-4. There's a lot to say in response to these questions and we'll tackle them this Sunday. But for now, ponder this question: Is there a reason why these questions are raised? What if what the Bible claims is true? Maybe there's a deeper issue here... Okay, one more to read: II Timothy 3: 16-17. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091025.mp3 The Power of Showing Up Isaiah 43:1-3a; John 10:1-7 Rev. Jennifer Kates Witten http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091018.mp3 23:18 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:27:45 GMT Last month I was in Bosnia. The war has been over 13 years, but you'd think it was last month with the way they talk about it. 60% of homes were destroyed and most buildings still reveal the destruction. Much of the educated work force has fled the country never to return. 40% of people are currently unemployed. They are angry about what they've lost and there is a general poverty of hope. I'm still processing this while hearing the words of our Lord who sends us into this complex world. In Luke 10:1-12, Jesus gives his disciples a job. He assures them it won't be easy, but he also promises to be right behind them. The general instructions are to get a partner. Go into the villages. Enter homes. Sit down over dinner and engage with people. Meet them where they are. And remember that Jesus is close behind. In Bosnia people were finding strength in their connections with one another. Makes me wonder, is this perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give. To show up for people trusting that Jesus promises to meet both us and the other person in those encounters? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091018.mp3 What About Other Religions? Acst 17:16-33; John 14:6 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091011.mp3 26:48 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:42:19 GMT A pastor starting a church in Manhattan asked people he met, "What's your biggest problem with Christianity?" Their one word answer: exclusivity. Call it "intolerance". Who do Christians think they are, saying that "Jesus is the way"? Ever hear this? Maybe then you also hear, "Well, all religions are pretty much the same, aren't they?" But are they? Is it even respectful of "all religions" to wrap them all up like this? And, what was Jesus talking about when he said, "I am the way, the truth and the life"? Read him in context in John 14:1-14. What if what Jesus means tears down walls of arrogance and leads those who trust in him to step through the rubble to offer a helping hand everywhere? Maybe that's what Jesus meant when he said, "The one who believes in me will also do the works I do, and in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father." What makes Christians "special" is God's mercy. Of course that makes everyone special, doesn't it? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091011.mp3 Why Is There Evil? Genesis 3:1-7; Mark 7:14-23 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091004.mp3 23:36 Sun, 4 Oct 2009 21:07:02 GMT Sometimes we hear the question asked, "Why is there evil?" It's one of the most basic challenges leveled at anyone who believes there is a God who cares. But I think it's fair to ask another question here, "Why do we ask why there is evil?" Because I can't help but wonder if implied in the question "Why is there evil?" there is an expectation of a good explanation. And with a good explanation can come a way to pass off responsibility as in, "Oh well, see? That's what happens. That's just the way things are. What are you going to do?" As if "evil" is some abstract concept that can be "explained". But this is not the biblical witness to evil. I'm reading Genesis 3:1-7 to get close as possible to what happens. Read as well Jesus in Mark 7:14-23. You get an unsettling answer to the question. As Solzhenitsyn put it, "The line between good and evil runs through each one of us." An honest search for an "answer" to this question drives into the arms of a holy, yet merciful God. It brings us back to the Lord's Table, where we take in again His answer to our most serious problem. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20091004.mp3 How Can There Be a God When There is So Much Suffering? Psalm 22; Hebrews 2:10-18 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090927.mp3 25:19 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:19:07 GMT Perhaps one of the most difficult questions any of us face as Christians is, "How can there be a God when there is so much suffering?" It's our question too. For the sake of a good conversation we need to try and understand what's behind the question. Is this a philosophical issue? Or has someone just lost a loved one in a tragedy? And you have to wonder what they might mean by "God"? Read Psalm 22 and Hebrews 2:10-18 with me this week to ponder who God is and how God addresses the problem of suffering. Think with this: suffering may be the most profoundly human experience there is. That it is something we choose to do in response to pain. That there is always the option to not suffer - but at what cost? We don't have all the answers. No one does. But that does not mean we don't have work to do. In the end it may be that work we do that is our best answer to this very human question. http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090927.mp3 Me? A Witness? Mark 4:1-8,14-20 Rev. Gary Demarest http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090920.mp3 27:48 Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:52:03 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090920.mp3 Is There a God? Psalm 19; Romans 1:20 and Hebrews 11:3 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090913.mp3 23:37 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:39:08 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090913.mp3 Remembering Joshua 1:1-11 Rev. John Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090906.mp3 22:39 Sun, 6 Sep 2009 22:35:41 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090906.mp3 Dealing with God Genesis 32:22-32 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090830.mp3 26:58 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:02:47 GMT I come from a family of wrestlers. My uncle won the state championship in Iowa. My other uncle had cauliflower ears to show for his wrestling days. My father knew some pretty good moves he would put on my brother and me that would force a cry of "Uncle!" I'm pondering that wrestling match which took place one night by the river between Jacob and "a man". Check it out in Genesis 32:22-32. Note the context, this match happens in the hours before Jacob must face his long estranged brother, Esau. There is fear and anxiety. There is need for reassurance and for "blessing". Surprising to us, Jacob seems to "prevail" and gets what he needs. Two ponderings for us this week: One is that the "man" renames Jacob as "Israel" which means "Struggles with God". We all come from a long line of wrestlers with God. It is what it means to be in relationship with God. And secondly, that God invites you and me into the ring to grab a hold of... Him! The greatest lack of faith is not that we wrestle and struggle, it is to refuse to struggle. Okay, one more, the Garden of Gethsemane was a wrestling ring. What are you wrestling with? Or better, with whom are you wrestling? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090830.mp3 Who's in the Family Ruth 1:8-18 Rev. Jennifer Kakes Witten http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090823.mp3 23:12 Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:45:16 GMT My son likes to draw pictures. Lots of them. Everyday. Too many to keep. So late at night after he's asleep, I sometimes collect a few of the ones I think he won't miss and toss them out. The other day, for some unknown reason, my son was scavenging through the trash and found some of his art. Not good. "Mommy!" he cried, "Why did you put my pictures in the trash? Don't you like what I've made?!" http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090823.mp3 Pharaoh: Stuck Exodus 5:1-14; Matthew 19:23-26 Rev. John F. Burnett http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090816.mp3 27:48 Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:26:07 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090816.mp3 Moses: Called by God Exodus 3:1-12 Rev. Gary Demarest http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090809.mp3 26:20 Sun, 9 Aug 2009 20:37:10 GMT http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090809.mp3 The Ironies of God's Grace: Joseph and His Family Genesis 45:1-15 Rev. Richard H. Thompson http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090802.mp3 26:02 Sun, 2 Aug 2009 20:45:45 GMT It is usually the case that we cannot see the hand of God in the moment. This takes time and remembering. I'm re-reading the story of Joseph, zeroing in on Genesis 45:1-15, and reflecting on Joseph's conclusion that somehow God can turn what some meant for ill into something redemptive. This is one of the most profound mysteries, isn't it? God does not just move Joseph's brothers around like pieces on a chess board. They have their reasons for what they do. So does Joseph. But in the "end" there is the humble realization that there is a greater Wisdom at work that even Joseph cannot see. This coming Sunday we'll gather at the Lord's Table. A couple of questions to ponder this week: How is it that the cross, a Roman instrument of pain and execution, has become our symbol of grace, truth and hope? And what might this mean to you in what you are dealing with this week? http://www.wpcwestlake.org/services/mp3/sermon20090802.mp3